Western Ranch Outfitters / Stockmens Catalogs

[carouselvic]

Stetsons

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18

By carouselvic at 2010-10-18
I used to shop this catalog and store as well in the 70's.

 

[RBH]

Vic.. that is just too COOL!!

 

[4spurs]

Thanks for posting this; loved it!

 

[barrowjh]

curious about things I have NEVER seen, other than in catalogs such as the above -
"Laloo"? we've seen plenty of 7X, 100s, Beaver 25s, Sovereign, Royal DeLuxe - but have never seen a Laloo except in these catalogs. Same for San Fran or San All. The catalog shows us Beaver 25 in a number of configurations, some light weight and some not. Odd that the 100 sells for twice the 7X, both pure beaver, a testament to the multiple grades of beaver available at that time.

 

[theinterchange]

Thanks for sharing! I really like the looks of the middle hat on the first page, I'd wear one in a heartbeat.

Randy

 

[jimmy the lid]

I wonder if this catalogue confirms a pricing change for the 1957 models. That would be a great bit of info for dating purposes. So, looks like Royal Stetsons moved up to $10.95, and Royal Deluxes moved up to $12.95... It's never been completely clear when the price jump occurred, but this may help.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

A $20 Stetson! Them wuz the days.

 

[Chinaski]

I see the very top right picture is Governor Dan Thornton. Didn't Buler have a Stetson 100 (or possibly 3 of them) with the Dan Thornton name in them?

 

[Chinaski]

Also, Barrowjh, you mention the Laloo. Just wondering if anyone has a Kingston? It seems to have quite a bit of that reverse taper look to it.

 

[rlk]

curious about things I have NEVER seen, other than in catalogs such as the above -
"Laloo"? we've seen plenty of 7X, 100s, Beaver 25s, Sovereign, Royal DeLuxe - but have never seen a Laloo except in these catalogs. Same for San Fran or San All. The catalog shows us Beaver 25 in a number of configurations, some light weight and some not. Odd that the 100 sells for twice the 7X, both pure beaver, a testament to the multiple grades of beaver available at that time.

A testament to the expense of fine luggage too perhaps. The 5X,7X are described as Beaver Fur Felt, 4X as Beaver Quality.

 

[buler]

I see the very top right picture is Governor Dan Thornton. Didn't Buler have a Stetson 100 (or possibly 3 of them) with the Dan Thornton name in them?

Yep, here is the thread.
DanThorntonStetsons

B

 

[gtdean48]

I like that the Kingston in 7X & the Open Road in 4X are the exact same photos, same for the 25 & the Sovereign...

 

[barrowjh]

You mean the LaLoo Jr.? Definitely comes with built-in hatitude. Notice that they use the same picture for the 7X and the 3X version.

Thanks for sharing! I really like the looks of the middle hat on the first page, I'd wear one in a heartbeat.

Randy

 

[buler]

Many of the pics are the same as they were in the 1952 catalog I posted in the Stetson Stuff thread. Starts on page 7 of the thread... StetsonStuffThread

B

 

[gtdean48]

Or page 12 if you are looking in reverse order like I do...

Many of the pics are the same as they were in the 1952 catalog I posted in the Stetson Stuff thread. Starts on page 7 of the thread... StetsonStuffThread

B

 

[Atticus Finch]

I remember joining this forum when I was trying to find one, single Open Road large enough to fit my big head. I really liked the way ORs looked with dress clothing, and I was hoping to make the hat a "trademark" for myself. After all, dress western style hats were once fairly uncommon in eastern North Carolina. I'm amazed at how much I didn't know.

Back then, I thought there was only one hat with a center crease, a 2 3/4 inch brim and a narrow ribbon....the Open Road. How silly was that? I had no idea that Stetson made other hats that look exactly, or almost exactly, like the OR. Heck, I didn't even understand that Open Roads could be blocked as a fedora.

Then I bought my Sovereign thinking it was an OR, and my little bubble was burst. I remember struggling with my tape...measuring crowns, brims and ribbons...trying to find some way that the vintage Sovereign was different than my Open Road.

But it wasn't.

Now I'm learning that there have been at least two "OR-ish Stetsons" other than the Sovereign. The Kinston and the San Fran, Jr. both appear to be very Open Road like. Further, I'm learning that my beloved Open Road hasn't traditionally been at the top of the Stetson line. In fact, it seems to have once been almost starter hat. Dang! My Lyndon Johnson and my Harry Truman...my heros...wearing a starter hat? Well, Mildred, maybe they weren't wearing Open Roads, after all. And, of course, I've learned that there is a list of other hat maker's Open Road clones that is a mile long and many of them are better hats than the Open Road.

I’m beginning to think I was happier just being ignorant.

AF

 

[gtdean48]

How can 7X be the "finest hat made" & the 100 be the "World's Finest Hat", almost as confusing as best quality natural beaver & Genuine Beaver Fur Felt"...

 

[Atticus Finch]

How can 7X be the "finest hat made" & the 100 be the "World's Finest Hat", almost as confusing as best quality natural beaver & Genuine Beaver Fur Felt"...

Yes, I beginning to despair that much of the variation I have been attributing to genuine differences in style and quality should actually be attributed only to differences in marketing strategy.

AF

 

[tonyb]

...

I'm beginning to think I was happier just being ignorant.

AF

Ain't that the truth.

The things I wish I didn't know ...

 

[gtdean48]

Ain't that the truth.

The things I wish I didn't know ...

How does that song go??

I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then...